As Sri Lanka-Belgium bilateral trade close in on the 1 billion dollar mark for the first time, Sri Lanka’s 11th largest global trade partner, and also the first ranked country in Europe for logistics investments and distribution in Europe, Belgium is readying to expand trade and investment partnership with Sri Lanka in a significant manner.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said the first-ever Wallonian business and investment delegation will arrive in Sri Lanka this week.

Wallonia, called the ‘heart’ of Europe and located at ‘the crossroads of the most advanced region of Western Europe’ claiming one fifth of Belgium’s GDP, is the wealthy southern region of Belgium.

Minister Bathiudeen led a business delegation from Sri Lanka to Belgium in November 2011.